Oil-treating apparatus



' C. R. SHORT ET AL OIL TREATING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1923 www@ fn 27512 Zal-'5 Patented Dec. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. SHORT AND CHARLES L. LEE, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL MOTORS RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION F DELA- WARE ' OIL-TREATING ArrARAmUs Application filed May 9,

This invention relates to a lubricant purifying deviceand more particularly to that type'of device used in combination with the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine.

In operating internal combustion engines at comparatively low temperatures and especiallyduring the initial operation or what is termed the warming up period ot the engine, it has been found that quite an appreciable amount of fuel drawn into the combustion chamber is in the unvaporized or liquid state. During the warming up period and for a substantial time thereafter, portions of this liquidjfuel will be forced past the piston'ring's especially when the piston rings do not absolutely hug the cylinder walls, enter the crank case and mix with the lubricating oil therein, diluting the 4same and thereby subto cause undue wear on most stantially reducing its lubricating qualities. This dilution of the lubricating oil will tend parts of the engine.

It is among the objects of the present invention to treat the lubricatin oil in the system, whereby the lighter volatlle fluids diluting the oil will be separated from the lubricant.

This object is attained 'by diverting a portion of the lubricating oil flowing through the lubricating system of the engine, directing this portion to a distilling device which. is adapted to separate the more volatile Hinds v contained in the lubricating oil and after this separation directing the volatilized fluids to atmosphere by any suitable means and re- 'device applied gine.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the on disalling plate of the stl Serial No. 637,812.

through the lubricating system of the engine l by means of a pump 23 shown to be a gear pump in the present invention. The pump 23 is driven by means of ashaft 24 which is provided with a beveled gear 25 in driving connection with another beveled gear mounted on and driven by the cam shaft 27 of the engine. Thevnumeral 28 designates the intake pipe of the pump23 while the outlet port of the pump is designated by the numeral 29. This outlet port 29 may be connected with the lubricating system of the engine by any suitable means not shown in the present drawings. A pipe 30 also communicates with the outlet port 29 of the pump 23, said pipe 30 being connected with the means for metering the flowof oil from the lubricating system to the separating means.

This metering means is designated by the numeral 3l and includes a body portion 32 having a longitudinal channel in which the shaft 33 is adapted to rotate. The shaft 33 is provided with a transverse channel 34 which is adapted to communicate with ports 35 and 36 oppositely disposedfin the vbody 32 of the metering device. The pipe 3() communicates with the port 35 which may be termed the inlet port of the metering device, while the outlet port 36 inunicating therewith which pipe also communicates with the inlet port of the still as will be described hereinafter. Suitable packing nut-s 38 are provided in the metering device about the shaft 33 for preventing leakage of oil at these points.

The rotating shaft 33 of the metering device 31 is driven vbya shaft 39 having a beveled gear 40 which is in driving connection with the beveled gear 26 mounted on and driven by the cam shaft 2 7. The adjustable ends of the shafts 33 and 39 are provided with longitudinal slots in which the connecting link 41 is adapted to fit, thus causin a driving connection between the two sha s.

These adjustable ends of the shafts 33 and has a pipe 37 com-- longitudinal movement -of the shaft 39 v prevented. v

This will vary the relative posit-ion ofthe transverse channel 34 to the ports 35 and 36 f thus varying the area of the channel through which the oil is adapted to pass when said channel 34 1s moved in alignment with the opposite ports 35 and 36 during. the rotation 'of thev shaft 33.-

. nut 43;. is provided on the s-hal't 39, seid loe'knut being adapted to be screwed again-st the ad] usting nut 42 to hold the 4same in adwsted position.v

The means forseparating the more volatile iiuids from-fthe lubricant or what is termed hereinafter as the distilling device is designated by the numeral 45.

The still 45 comprises a head portion 46 having termed integral therewith the conduit 47 adaptedto be connected to the exhaust -manifold 48 'ofthe engine 20. n'side the lower portion olf the conduit 47 there is provided a venturi 49 having a plurality of holes 50 at its restricted throat portion, 'said holes communicating with a Space 5la fol- Ined between the outer surface of the conuit 47 and a circular wall 51 formed integral with the cond-uit 47.

(lonnnunicatingv with the conduit 47 and supported thereby by means of the lugs 54 is a tube 55 which may be termed the heat-v lng element of the still.- The method of securing this heating `element to the conduit 47 1s as follows: the tube 55 provided with holes at lts one end is inserted' in the mould -m which the conduit 47 is to be cast. Then the metal is pouredin the mould the holes 1n the upper part of the tube 55 will be' filled up with this metal, thus fom-ing the lugs 54 as lshown on the drawings.

Secured to the bottom end of the tulle or heating element 55 by brazing or welding is a flanged coupling screw'56, the inside of said screw being provided with a channel which -will form a .continuation of the. inside of the y tube 55' when lin position onsaid tube.

- A casing 57surrounds the tube or hea-ting element' 55 torming the passage 'Way m cham ser 58 which-is termed the separatig ,p vcasingv 57 isheld in position by means of' the' chamber. of the still.I ,The upper end of Coup ng' sleeve 59, one portion'of which pro] ects: into 'the bottom' of the circular wall 5l, while the4 other portion fits inside lthe casing 57. This coupling sleeve 59 is l provided with an inwardly projecting flange 60 i formed the flange' portion- 6010i the coupling sleeve, said holes forming passage ways for purposes to be described hereinafter.

he corqlinfrl sleeve 59 is positioned in the wall portion 5l so that the upper edge of the flange `ortion 6() is positioned slightly boneath the inlet port 52.

The casing 57 is provided at its lower end with an inwardly projectin .Harige 63 having a central opening throu which the coupling screw 56 is adapter to project.y A nut 64 screwed onto the coupling screw 56 is adapted to hold the flanged portion 63 against the tiange formedon the couplin screw 56, thus tending to hold the casing 5 in position. A cou ling nut 65 rigidly holds the associated con uit extension 66 in communication With the coupling screwv 56 thereby forming a continuous passa e from the inside of the tube 55 through t e coupling screw 56 and the extension 66 to atmosphere. The casing 57 is provided with a snout 67 atv its bottom, this snout having a. pipe 68,communicatin therewith whichpipe also communicates wi h the crank case 21 of the engine. The heating unit 55 has, a pluralitv of convolutions of wire 69 which act as a` baille for the oil in the stillA and whichy are heated up when the tube or heating element 55is heated.

'When the engine is operating and the cam shaft 27 is rotating the pump 23 through the shaft 24, oil will be drawn into the 'ump through the inlet port or pipe 28 and orced out of the outlet port 29 through the lubricating system of the engine, which directs oil to `the various bearings, the cylinders and other o erating parts of the motor. A portion of tilleoil 'willlow through the pipe 30, to the inlet port 35 of the metering element 31. Operation of the cam shaft 27 will rotate the shaft 39 by means of the beveled gears 26 and 40 which through the coupling 4l will rotate the shaft`133, thus permitting oil to flow from,.the. inlet port 35 through thc transverse-channel 34'into and through outlt port v36 whenever the channel 34 is Brought into alignment with' the two aforementlondpo'rts 35 and-.36. It will be seen that this ahgment talies 'lfe twice during each revolutlonof the shaft 33. thus' causinv an' da crrgeto be injected into the ipe 3? at each 'alf revolution of the shaft 3? The oit win @through-the' ipe staren huw still-gilet port 52 o to t Q downwardl' incline ange 60' o the coupling s eeve, thence through the passage'ways formed by trickle down over` the wire convolutions on the heating element 55.

During the operation of the engine the 'hot exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust conduit 47 and the tube or heating element 55 will tend to heat this element 55 and its Wire convolutions 69. The lubricant-containing more volatile liuids such as gasoline,

kerosene or Water, trickling down over the heating Wires 69 will-be brought to a comparatively high temperature at which the said lighter fluids will become volatilized. The exhaustl gas passing through the venturi 49'formed Within the exhaust conduit 47 Will set up asuction in the passage 50 thus creating a sub-atmospheric pressure Within the space 5l-a. This will cause the volatilized fluids to pass up through the holes 62 formed in the flange 60, enter the space l-a and pass out through the passages 50 into-said conduit 47, where they Will mix with the owing exhaust gases of the engine and pass to atmosphere through the pipe or heating element 55 and exhaust conduit extension 66. The heated lubricant will continue trickling down over the convolntions 69 until it reaches the bottom of the casing 57 whence this refined oil will flowthrough the outlet 67, pipe 68 and enter into the crank case 21 again mixing with the lubricant supply in the crank case.

It will be noted by reference toFignre 1 that pipe 68 is of relatively large cross section. 'Iihe purpose of'this is to permit vapors from the crankcase to pass upwardly through the pipe into the chamber 58 Where they entrain With'them Vdistillates driven from the oil, the gaseous mixture then passing upwardly through the apertures 62 into space 51-a and thence through holes 50 into the exhaust conduit. The crankcase va l ors in passing over the trickling stream o oil exert an evaporative actionv which assists in the removal of diluents.

In a lubricant purifying device of the type described, it is advantageous to provide a limiting device, inasmuch as when lubricating oil is delivered to the distilling device in :large quantities, the heating unit of the still may not be able to heat the oil passing therethrough to a tennieraturc lhigh enmigh to cause the lighterfluids therein to become volatilized; thus it might occur that a comparatively large quantity of thin oils and gasoline would return to the crank case. Where the supply to the distilling device is limited, as in the present invention by shunting through the still continuously a small. portion of the total oil passing through the pump, a suiicient heat is applied to the oil in' the still to cause volatili-zation of the lighter fluids, thus permit-ting only the heavy `refined lubricant to return tothe crankcase from the still.

While the forni of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What We claim is as follows:

l. In an oil purifying device for engines, the combination of a reservoir forming part of the engine lubricating system, of an oil` refining chamber, means for delivering oil from the reservoir to the refining chamber, and exhaust conduit for the engine arranged adjacent the chamberso as to heat the latter, and means whereby the exhaust gases flou'- ing in the exhaust conduit reduce the pressure in the refining chamber below atmospheric. l

2. In an oil purifying device for engines, the combination with a lubricating system, of a still separate from the engine crankcase, means for delivering oil from the system to the still and means for returning oil from the still to the system, means for applying the heat of thev exhaust gases to the still, and means operated by said exhaust gases for exerting suction on the oil in the still for producing an evaporative action thereon and removing distillates therefrom.

3. Inl an oil purifying devicel for engines, the combination with a lubricating system; of an exhaust conduit of the engine, including a Venturi tube; a still in thermal relation to the exhaust conduit and in communication with the throat of the Venturi tube; means for delivering oil from the system to the still; and means for returning the treated oil to the lubricant supply.

4. In an oil purifying device for engines, the combination with a lubricating system; of means for separating the impurities from the lubricant; means for delivering oil from the lubricating system to the separating means, including driven intermittent cnt-oli' means for metering the flow of oil from the system to the separating means; and means for returning the treated oil to the system.

5. In a purifying device for engines, the combination with a lubricating system; of an engine exhaust conduit: a chamber in thermal relation with the conduit, said chamber and conduit having a common wall providing a heating surface means for meteri n and delivering oil from the system to tlv` chamber; and means for distributing this oil from the metering means in a thin stream over the heating surface in the chamber.

6. In a purifying device for engines, the combination with a lubricating system; of an engine exhaust conduit, including a Venturi tube; a chamber in thermal relation with the conduit and communicating with the throat of the venturi; means for metering and de-y at a lower level' than the communication between the' chamber and 'the Venturi tube' for distributing the oil-delivered thereto over the heating surface of the chamber.

7. In a purifying device for engines, the combination with a lubricating system; oi" a still including a heating chamber-1' andjixllet and outlet ports eomnmnicatin z w-ih the chamber; an 'engine exhaust con uit'passing through the hea-ting chamber andy adapted to heat sai-d chamber; means for. delivering oil from the lubricating system to the heating chamber; a Venturi tube provided in the eX- haustl conduit and communicating with the heating chamber; and a balile plate provided in the still above its lowest portion and at a lower level than the voilinlet andthe communication of said chamber with the inside of the exhaust conduit for distributing the inflowing oill evenly ove'frthe heated surface of` the chamber and including "openings whereby the volatiliimed :Huidsmay be. drawn from the heating: chamber' through' the venturi communication. with :the still,into the said venturi and passoutwith the exhaust v gases'iiowing through-said venturi.-

. said chamber.

u duced.

8. In an oil-purifying device for engines, having a crank caseanda'u exhaust conduit, al1-oil refni chamber formedin part by the exterior of t exhaust conduit, there being an opening in the exhaust conduit communicating with the u I r portion of saidchamber, and subject tolgiig aspiratin'g action of the gases m sald conduit to'withdraw vapors from said chamber, means for delivering oil from the crank case to said chamber,and means for conducting the refined oil from 9. In the combination as dened in claim 8, means in said conduit adjacent said opening forincreasing the velocity ofthe gases lpassing through said opening.

10. The combination of an internal com-I bustion engine having a lubricating system andan exhaust conduit, a still arranged to be heated by the exhaust gases, means for supplying said Astill with oil from the system and returning the refined'oil thereto, and means operated by .said exhaust gases for exerting suction on the gases in said still, sald last named means including'devices for increasing the velocity of the said exhaustgases at the point where the suction is pro- In an oil rcctfyiug device, the combination of an automobile engine'having'a -lu-v bricating system, a' still, neinsor diverting oilv from the syst-elfi through the still, means for returning 'the purified oil to the system, and a 'd'riv'oimoteiiiig dev-icearianged in' said `vfirst nameflfnieaiis'or"controlling the vice, the l'combi- In an oilreet'iying de nation of an 'ontnobile engine' having a cir-l rculatinglibrictng system-a still, a conavea-',409

for intermittent registration with the pas!" sage through said conduit to control the flow o oil tothe still. f.

13. In thecombination defined in claim. 12, means for adjusting-f said driven meanstor.

vary the degree of registration of said passages.'-

' 14. The combination bustion engine havinga heated oil distillation chamber, means for supplying oil to said,A chamber, a conduitfor returning distilled oil from said chamber to the'engine, and means for passing anevaporative medium in a 00ntinuous streamthrough said conduit in a direction opposite to that in which the oil flows.v

v 15, In an oil purifying device for use in connection with an engine, the combination 'of an oil purifying chamber separate from the engine cran-kcase, means for passing a stream offoil' through said chamber and returning' it to the crankcase, means for ca liisingl an evaporative flow of gaseous medium in a continuous stream from the erankcase through the chamber in Contact with said oil stream and, in a direction opposite to the direction of its flow for eecting removal of diluents therefrom, and means for discharging said gaseous medium from the said chamber.v

I6. The combination of an internal com-l suction to .said still, means for supplying oil 'to said4 still,A a conduit for returning revfined oil tothe cranlcase and' discharging--- abovethe level of the oil therein, said conduit being of larger capacity-than 'said oil'v supply- 'ing means to permit passage of vapors from the crankcase into the still.

1 7. The combination of an internal combustionengine having a crankcase, a still for refining lubricating oil, means for heating said still, means for supplying oil to saidA still, a conduit for' returning relcined oil to 'the crankcase and discharging above the level of the oil therein, said last named conduit being of larger capacity than said oil supplyingV 'means to'permit the oil to trickle in a thin stream through the still, a. .vapor outlet for the still, said conduit,-still and outlet providing an unobstructed path for the discharge of vapors from the crankcase, said vapors 1n' their passage cti'ecting evaporationofdiluf ents from the engine oil. y f

18, A still comprising-'a vconduit for-tht'f 'passage of a heating medium, a distillation chamber surrounding said conduit, V'and' a heating element comprising a coil of lgood heat conducting material wound. around vsind conduit, means for distributing-tho! entering" of an internal comoil upon the turns of the coil, and'means at the lower end of the chamber for discharging the purified oil.

19. In the combination as defined in claim 18, said distributing means comprising an annular baffle secured to the walls of said chamber.

20. The combination of an automobile engine having a pressure lubricating system, an oil treating device, means for diverting oil from the system thru the device, means for returning treated oil from the device to the system and a driven metering device arranged in said first-named means for controlling the fiow of oil through the treating device. y

2l. The combination of an automobile cngne having a circulating lubricating system, an oil treating device, a conduit for feeding oil from-v the system to the device, a. conduit for thereturn of oil from the device to the systemand a driven rota-ry cut-off device for controlling the flow of oil through the treating device.

22. The combination of an internal combustion engine having a lubricating system,

including a crank case serving as a lubricant reservoir, an oil purifying device, means for supplying oil from the system to the device, a conduit for returning purified oil from the device to the crank case, and means for drawing air from the crank case through said conduit in a direction opposite the direction of oil fiow to effect evaporation of diluents from the returning oil stream.

In a lubricating system, the combination of means for circulating oil, means for conducting oil from the circulating means to the bearings, an oil treating device, a conduit for supplying oil from the system tothe treat-ing device, a driven metering device interposed in said last-named means for controlling the flow of oil to the treating device, and mea-ns for returning thetreated oil to the system.

25. In the combination as defined in claim 24, said metering device comprising a' rotary cut-off valve.

26. In an'oil purifying device for engines, the combination with a lubricating system, of a still separate from the engine crankcase, means for delivering oil from the system to the still, and means for returning oil from the still to the system, an exhaust gas passage adjoining the still, said passageand still having a common wall for conveying heat to the still, and a port in said wall directly connecting the passage and the still above the level o f the oil therein, said port being subject to the aspirating effect of exhaust gases flowing through said passage for withdrawing diluent vapors from the still into the passage.

27. The combination of an internal combustion engine having a lubricating system including a crankcase serving as a lubricant reservoir, an oil purifying chamber, means for supplying oil from the system to-the chamber and for returning purified oil to the system, meansffor admitting air from the crankcase to the chamber, and means for withdrawing vapors fromy the chamber thereby causing an evaporative low of crankcase vapors through the chamber to rcmove diluents from the engine oil.

28. The combination of an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, a still for refining lubricating oil, means for heating said still, means for supplying oil to said still, a conduit for returning refined oil to the crankcase'and discharging above the level of the oil therein, said last named conduit being of larger capacity than said oil supplying means to permit the oil to trickle in a` thin stream through the still, and means for applying suction to the still to draw vapors from the erankcase upwardly through the conduit in opposition to the How of oil therein.

29. In an oil purifier for internal combustion engines, a purifyin chamber, means for introducing oil into said chamber, means to permit vapor to escape from said chamber, a pipe communicating with said chamberiand the crankcase to conduct simultaneously vapor from the crankcase to the chamber and oil from the chamber to the crankcase.

30. In an oil purifier for internal combus tion engines having a source of suction, a chamber, a pipe leading to said source of suction from said chamber -for drawing vapors` therefrom, a pipe communicating with the crankcase for delivering vapors to said first named pipe, means for introducing oil from the crankcase into the chamber, and means connecting said chamber with said second named pipe for passing purified oil through sald pipe in the opposite direction to the movement 'of the vapors from the cranki case.

In testimony whereof we hereto afix our signatures.

' CHARLES R. SHORT.

CHARLES L. LEE. 

